


Glory and Gore Go Hand in Hand

by Pen_And_Dagger



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: M/M, guns n stuff, kinda slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-04 18:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18610081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pen_And_Dagger/pseuds/Pen_And_Dagger
Summary: Once upon a time, they were rivals chasing each other around Johto. For the next four years, they're living their own lives. Approaching the fifth year, they reunite under unexpected and unwelcome circumstances. Once again they're back to running around the region, this time together.Add in Team Rocket following their every move and you have a recipe for disaster, but maybe some fun.





	1. Eyes of Steel

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not good at summaries >-<

Tucked away in a Pokemart bathroom, a young redhead regards himself in the scuffed and dirty mirror. His skin held enough color to appear healthy, although to his chagrin nurses at the pokemon centers he stops in always believe otherwise. He long since acknowledged that his naturally pale complexion did him very few favors. One of the perks was the ability to get a bed in a pokemon center if he couldn’t find anywhere else to stay. A bright side to walking around looking like he hasn’t seen the sun in weeks. 

His gaze focused on his eyes’ reflection. Grey, and almost devoid of emotion. Most people tended to remark that they looked lifeless. The creative ones sometimes even compared them to pebbles someone shoved into his eye sockets. They went in one ear and out the other for the most part. However, no matter how much he tried he couldn’t get one comment out of his head.

_“Your eyes look like cold steel dude. Do you not feel things or something?”_

A faint huff slipped out just thinking about it. Steel huh? Steel’s strong, which is exactly what he presented himself as. No complaints. Despite the belief that he wasn’t the creative type, he could make a few comparisons back. The sun perhaps, a pinap berry if he wants to stretch it a bit. He scoffs at himself for thinking about it again, lightly patting his cheeks to focus on the present. 

“Silver, you’ve officially gone mad.” 

The redhead sighed, shaking his head in annoyance. What was it about being back in Cherrygrove that made him start thinking about his old “rival”? For starters, it’s been almost four years since they’ve run into each other anywhere. He had no feelings about it either way. If he was lucky, he’ll manage a win this time around. Then again, challengers are probably keeping his skills sharp. 

Oh well, someday it could happen. 

Knocking signaled the end of his bathroom pondering. He was at least grateful to escape the smell of sewage and remnants of whatever the staff failed to clean off the walls and the floor. Keeping a straight face, he went out into the Pokemart proper, browsing around and contemplating whether or not he needed any more healing items. 

Silver stopped upon seeing the cases of pokeballs. The display was a lot more colorful than he remembered from the past. He hummed in thought, mildly impressed by how many new kinds of balls were created since he had been catching pokemon as a kid. “...New trainers have it so easy...” he muttered under his breath. Seeing all the new resources available suddenly made it so clear why young beginners were so cocky with low level, easy to find pokemon. 

He stuffed his hand into his pockets and turned on his heel, heading towards the door. The redhead ignored the other customers perusing the aisles. He stopped moving, hearing someone call his name. He wasn’t prepared for anyone here to know his name, so he turned to see who was addressing him. 

Then he was on the ground with a grunt and bits of the floor went flying into the air. 


	2. Run Boys, Run

A frowned made its way to Silver’s face at the almost crushing weight on his back. Feeling a pulse against his shoulder blade, he could tell that it was another person like he initially believed. Judging by the speed of the pulse, the person on him was freaking out but trying to hide it. He sighed. 

“Will you get off now?” 

His gut was telling him that that wasn’t the only blast to come, and he didn’t want to be a sitting duck when the next one comes. Luckily for him, the person rolled off his back and got up to move. The redhead shifted behind a display before standing, common sense screaming at him to take cover. Steel met honey as he finally got to see who it was who decided it was a good idea to tackle him to the ground. Great, an awkward reunion. Just what he needed with someone outside shooting through the window. 

“Long time no see, huh Silv?”

“Yeah, no shit. Let’s get out of here without getting shot, then we can shoot the shit as much as you want.”

At least the threat of pain was enough to get the ravenette to comply for once. Stubborn idiot never listened to him as a kid even when he was right. Keeping his body low, Silver ducked behind the next display, gesturing for Gold to follow him to the bathroom. He sighed in exasperation when Gold decided that was an invitation to grab his wrist and head to the bathroom in a dead sprint. On the bright side, it was vacant so they could get inside. 

Once the door was closed, Silver scowled.

“Are you an idiot? They could’ve shot us both doing your crazy stunts!”

“Hey, we made it at least! Why do you wanna hang out in the bathroom anyway.”

Silver gestured at the window above the toilet. “Getting out the back instead of walking right into their crosshairs of course.”

“We uh...couldn’t have used the employee exit?”

“Sure, why not tell them our plans while we’re at it?”

“Got it, geez...Anyway, how’re we getting out that little window?”

Silver pinched the bridge of his nose and made his way over to the toilet. Slowly he stepped on the seat and then the tank in the back. He sighed. “Better not deal with property damage costs after this…” he muttered under his breath, banging on the window frame with his elbow until it gave way and fell onto the grass outside. “Like that.”

He pulled himself up to the hole and slowly wiggled through, dropping onto the grass with a little roll. Crossing his arms, he waited for Gold to follow. Gold’s arms made an appearance after a minute or two, followed by his head and chest.

“Silv, you made this look easy!”

Silver sighed watching Gold hit the ground just about face first. “For a champion, you sure are a clumsy mess.” Gold stood up and did a half-assed job of dusting himself off. Silver didn’t give him time to come up with a reply. He decided it was his turn to drag Gold around. He grabbed his wrist and ran into the woods in dead silence, deeming the town too dangerous to find a clear road to travel on. 

“Where are you going?!”

“Somewhere where there aren’t people shooting at us. Unless you want to be Swiss cheese, then be my guest.”

“Alright, alright, point made loud and clear!” 

“This should be fine.” Silver decided, releasing his rival’s wrist. The surrounding woods were quiet aside from the various cries of wild pokemon as they went about their business. He adjusted his gloves and stuffed his hands back in his pockets. Truthfully he wasn’t totally being honest about shooting the shit with Gold after they got to safety. Frankly, he said that so Gold would stop talking and follow him to somewhere safe. 

With that goal accomplished, he turned to leave. He managed to only take a few steps before Gold caught his shoulder. He bit the inside of his cheek to hide his annoyance. So Gold was really planning to hold him to his ingenuine deal, huh? The prospect was already beginning to give him a headache. 

“Hey, you’re really gonna walk away after all that?”

“Yes? Contrary to whatever your beliefs are, I don’t live in the woods.” 

“Dude, it’s been years! At least spare some time for catching up!”

“...Catching up? Champion life must be exciting for you to assume I have much to talk about.”

“So cold...You still don’t know how to be friendly do you?”

“You're still hopelessly optimistic. Not everyone lives in a utopia of sunshine and rainbows Gold.”


	3. How To Be A Couch Potato

“You're still hopelessly optimistic. Not everyone lives in a utopia of sunshine and rainbows Gold.”

Gold huffed lightly but continued to hold the other male’s shoulder. Utopia? Sunshine and rainbows? Is that what Silver really thought he saw the world as? Admittedly, he did like to see the good around him. That helped him become champion, didn’t it? His impulses wanted him to give up and walk away, let Silver brood on whatever he had hovering over him on his own. Contrary to those, he grew a lopsided grin and put his arm around the redhead’s shoulders fully. 

“Alright, Sir Doom and Gloom. Let’s debate our worldview over coffee or something. My place is close enough to swing by.”

He turned and headed towards New Bark, effectively silencing the beginnings of a complaint. He could almost feel his eyes light up in amusement. It reminded him of back when they were kids and “unintentionally” working together. Silver always began to complain before changing his mind on a dime and going along with it. 

Gold didn’t mind that Silver decided to stay completely silent the entire way. It wasn’t something out of the ordinary; his rival never was much of a small talker. Besides, the small talk could wait until they were sitting down anyway. He let his faithful Typhlosion out of his pokeball to let him enjoy the sunshine. Momentarily he scratched behind the fire type’s ears and listened to his purrs of delight at the touch. 

The sound of Pidgey and Sentrets signaled the close proximity to town as the pair walked, for now deciding to stay out of the tall grass. Gold could smell a hint of the small pond on the breeze and grinned, already feeling the wave of home comfort. Beside him, he could see Silver let his hair fall in his eyes as they passed Professor Elm’s lab, probably to avoid being recognized. While he didn’t blame him, he still questioned his decision to steal a starter instead of doing it the same way other kids do. He refocused on the path in front of him, deciding it was best not to ask. 

Instead, golden eyes landed on his childhood home. His demeanor brightened up nigh instantly as he swung the door open and ushered his old rival inside. He led Silver to the kitchen and pulled out a seat to let him sit down while he got to work. 

“Hey Silv, how do you take your coffee?”

“Black.”

Gold mentally stalled for a few seconds. “Wow, you’re hardcore.”

Silver’s eyebrow quirked up. “Hardcore? It’s coffee.”

“Well, it’s kinda...nevermind, I dunno how to explain it.”

Gold sighed and scratched the back of his neck, feeling awkward all of a sudden. Instead, he turned to the coffeemaker and set it up to make a cup for both of them. He leaned on the counter and tossed his cap aside as the smell of coffee began to waft through the house. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see how stiff and uncomfortable Silver seemed to be. “Do you...wanna move to the couch or something? Could turn the TV on if you want…” Great, now he sounded way too eager to please.

\--

Silver sat up straight at the table, at a loss for what he should be doing. If he had to admit to it, social situations were far from in his wheelhouse. In his younger days, he didn’t particularly see a need to become the pinnacle of social grace. Being the strongest around was his sole goal. He could almost scoff at his childhood self’s one track mind. 

The smell of coffee and the sound of Gold’s shuffling dragged him from his pondering. From the corner of his eye, he could see Gold becoming rather stressed. Was this his first time making coffee for more than one person or something? 

“Do you...wanna move to the couch or something? Could turn the TV on if you want…”

Silver paused, picking up on the context to his apparent discomfort. Was his posture really that unsettling? He’d always been under the impression that sitting up straight and staying still was polite. Perhaps it still is polite, but it appeared that in this situation being polite was merely a way to make people uncomfortable. A moment of indecision passed before he decided how to proceed. 

“Alright, if you want.”

He pretended not to notice Gold’s posture ease up in relief as he stood. Silver followed him to the living room and sat slowly on the couch. The cushions were soft, but they were so plush and squishy that he was almost afraid he would sink into the couch and never return. Realizing the thought was dumb, he shoved it aside and settled down, the cushion bouncing when Gold sat with him and flicked the TV on. 

The channel quickly turned away from the news of the shots fired at the Pokemart. Instead, it landed on a show about newly hatched pokemon and how to care for them. Silver could see Gold’s eyes light up at the first little cries of the infant pokemon. His rival cleared his throat, apparently deciding to ask his input. For once he spoke up first, most at ease with Gold as cheerful as he remembered him from their childhood battles. 

“Don’t worry, this is fine.”


End file.
